Electrode for electrolytic condensers



c. AALBORG ELECTRODE FOR ELEC'TROLYTIC CONDENSERS Filed Oct. 2s. 1920 Aug- 2, 1927. 1,637,328

i ,2 2 2 fyff" @7 @di llll'lllll 14 Y ffy/ WITNESSES: INVENT/OR WQWM ffif l Waff /g W ATTORNEY Patent-ed Aug; 2, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN A-ALBORG, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T WESTING- i HOUSE ELECTRIC @c MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYL- VANIA.

ELECTRODE FOR ELECTROLYTIC CONDENSERS.

Application filed October 23, 1920;v Serial No. 419,025.

This invention relates to electrodes, more especially to electrodes adapted for use 1n electrolytic. condensers, lightning arresters, rectiers, etc.

5 Electrodes for the above-namedpurposes should combine a large surface area with a small space to present a maximum area for Contact with the electrolyte in a minimum space, to render such apparatus efficient. In order to accomplish this, there had been proposed an electrode which was composed of a crimped or corrugated strip or 'plate of thin sheet metal mounted on a suitable supporting frame. To hold the corrugated strip sen curely to the frame, the upper and lower edges thereof were grooved across the corrugations to receive the upper and lower members of the supporting frame. It was very diflicult to cut these grooves without bending or destroying the corrugations or otherwise distorting the plate. To remedy this, it was proposed to cast fusible metal around the ends of the corrugated plate, cut the grooves, and then melt away the fusible metal. This procedure involved considerable labor and expense andwas not always successful. An electrode made in this manner did not allow free circulation of electrolyte, even though slits were cut at the folds. f'

The present invention vobviates ythese difli culties, it being among the objects thereof to devise an electrode which will present a maximum surface within a minimum of space, be simple in construction and easy to manufacture,'which will allow ready circulation of electrolyte and which will be rigid and strong.

In practising my invention, I utilize a 40 sheet of metal which is cut or slit in a peculiar manner in order to form' sections, which arethen 'so folded as to produce the completed electrode. Spacing means are provided between the sections to render thel completed electrode of open-work construction to allow free circulation of electrolyte and to prevent short-circuiting.

In the accompanying drawings forming a art hereof and which illustrate several em odiments of my invention,

Fig. 1 isa plan view showing a sheet of metal cut and ready to fold;

Fig'. 2 is a side view of an electrode dut and folded in accordance with the pattern of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the electrode shown in Fig. 2,;

Fig. l is a tpp view of the electrode;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of a slightly modilied form of electrode;

Fig. 6 is a plan ,view of a sheet of met-- il cutto a slightly different pattern from fig. l;

Fig. 7 Jis a side View of the electrode, the pattern of which is shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an end View of the same, some parts being shown slightly exaggerated;

Fig. 9 is a top View thereof, and

Fig. l0 is a similar view of a slightly modified form of electrode.

A sheet of thin metal l is eutlongitudr, nally and transversely along lines'Q and 3, respectively, as shown in Fig. 1, leaving connecting portions 4 about which the cut portions arev to tbe folded. Cuts 5 are made along both the top and bottom edges of sheet 1 to form strips held to the sheet by portions 6. The sheet thus eut provides body portions 7, wings 8, stiffening means 9, and spacing members 10.

The sheet is then folded along lines 4 so that the corresponding faces of adjacent sections are folded adjacent each other, forming a structure such as shown in Figs. 2 to 5 in which each section 8 is separated from the next by a single intermediate spacing member 10. The stiffening members 9 are folded about the ends of the folded electrode andwelded or otherwise secured in position, as shown in Fig. 4. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, the stiffening strips 9 have been omitted but, otherwise, the structure is the same as that shown in Figs. l to 4. Any suitable stifening and holding means may be substituted forstrips 9.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 10, the sheet metal plate is cutvertically and horizontally along lines 2 and 3, respectively, in a manner similar to that described above, forming body and win portions. Y At intervals along the top an bottom edges of the strip, openings 11 are' cut providing portions 12 adapted to be folded to form projecting members which constitute clamping and stiffening means for 105 the electrode.

The stri so cut is folded along dotted lines 13 (Flig. 6) so that thefaceof one section is placed opposite to the corresponding face of the next section With two intermediate s acing members 14 and15 interposed therebetween. Portions 12 project outwardly from the top and bottom of the folded electrode, and strips 16, having a ertures 17 through which portions 12 are t readed, are placed thereover, and the projecting portions 12 hammered down over apertures 17 to ix strips 1.6 permanentl in place. The modified form shown in i 10 shows an electrode similar to that of A ig. 9 but omitting the special stifi'ening and l clamping means there shown. 'p

It will be seen that, by providing a strip of thin sheet metal, cutting the same to a predetermined pattern, and then folding to form the finished electrode, I have, in a very simple manner, produced a structure which has a large surface area Within a very small space and which is simple in construction and easy to manufacture.- On account of the spacingmembers, which maybe of any desired number, the various sections of the electrode are spaced any desired distance apart, thus allowing free circulation of electrolyte vbetween the various sections. By providing clamping' means integral with the electrode, I am enabled to securely fasten tlie parts of the electrode rigidly together, avoiding the necessity of providing additional and complicated clamping and stiffening means.

Although I have shown and described several embodiments of my invention7 it is torbe understood that my invention is not limited by the details shown. For instance, I may omit the s ecial stifening and clampin means descri ed and substitute therefor ot er more commonly used means'. Instead of one or two spacing members between adjacent sections of the electrode, I may provide a diiierent number in accordance with the requirements in any special case. A

I may change the relative sizes andshapes of the various parts of my electrode. .For exam le, the body portion 7 and Wings 8 may of approximately the same size or 1. An electrode comprising tolded sheet -metal having slits therein providing wings and body portions, and stifening means A- formed integrall with said sheet.l

2. An electro e comprising folded sheet metal having slits therein providing wings and body portions, and stitl'ening strips 'formed on the ends of said sheet and holdigthe several folds in relatively fixed position.x I

3. An electrode comprisin a piece of sheet metal having ortions folded back'and forth to form close y disposed 'layers, less than all of said la ers having substantially coplanar exten ing portions, whereby adjacent Aextending portions are s aced by one y or more layers having no cop anar extend- .ing portions.

4. An electrode comprising an integral piece of sheet metal having a plurality of slits extending in a general cross-wise direction and a pluralit of connecting slits extending in a general length-wise direction, some of said slits being so aligned as to provide relatively narrow portions, said rela` tively narrow portions bein folded back and forth to form closely disposed layers, less lthan all of said la ers having substantially coplanai integra extending portions. v 5. A sheet-metal electrode comprisin a stack of spacedsheet members and a p urality of inte ral folded portions oining the same, said fo ded portions being disposed in a plurality of piles of relativel closely disosed layers, and said spaced s than the spacings between said folded portions. 4

In V`testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed `my name this 13th day of Ocf .CHRISTIAN AALBORG.

eet members v eing more widely spaced from each otherV 

